Choosing Trademark Classes for Goods and Services in Thailand

Choosing trademark classes in Thailand starts with a practical question: what goods do you sell, and what services do you actually provide under the mark? The answer determines the list of goods and services in your application. Choosing a familiar class number without carefully describing the business can leave an important product uncovered, create an avoidable objection, or increase filing costs.

For example, a brand that sells packaged coffee and operates a café may need to consider both its coffee products and its food and drink services. An online cosmetics brand must distinguish the cosmetics it sells from any separate retail services it provides. The right filing strategy depends on the facts of each business, not a standard list copied from another application.

This guide explains how to plan a Thai trademark specification before filing. For the broader registration process and representation before the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), see our Trademark Registration Services in Thailand.

What are trademark classes in Thailand?

Thailand classifies goods and services using 45 Nice classes: Classes 1–34 cover goods, while Classes 35–45 cover services. The 13th edition, version 2026, took effect on 1 January 2026; Thailand’s updated classification took effect on the same date. Some items moved between classes. Applicants should use the version applicable on the Thai filing date.

The class number is only part of the application. Thai trademark law requires the particular goods or services for which protection is sought to be specified clearly. Selecting a class or copying its heading does not automatically claim every product or activity within it. The DIP provides a search tool for goods and services submitted in Thai applications, but a search result should not be treated as a guarantee that particular wording will be accepted in a new application. Wording used in another country may need adjustment for Thailand.

The key distinction: the class groups the activity; the specification identifies the particular goods or services for which the applicant seeks protection. Class selection also does not replace a search for earlier conflicting marks.

How to choose goods and services before filing

1. Map the business under the mark

List the products bearing the mark and the services offered under it. Look at packaging, invoices, website listings, app screens, brochures, distribution agreements and planned launches. Separate goods sold under your own brand from goods merely sold through a shop or platform. Where future expansion is realistic, identify the specific products or services and assess whether to include them now.

2. Identify candidate classes, then verify each item

Use the applicable Nice Classification to identify possible classes, then consult the DIP’s goods and services search when preparing the Thai wording. Check the nature of each product or service rather than assuming the search result or a class heading is an approved specification. Products that look similar commercially may be classified differently because of their purpose or technical characteristics.

3. Draft clear, commercially accurate descriptions

Describe the products and services in terms an examiner can identify. Avoid relying on broad phrases such as “all goods in Class 3” or “all online services.” Extra classes and, within a class, moving from five to more than five items can increase official fees. After that threshold, additional items in the same class do not increase the published application or registration fee for that class, though they still require a sound business reason. For a bilingual or international portfolio, check that the Thai filing language accurately reflects the intended goods and services.

4. Check earlier marks beyond the class number

Search for identical and confusingly similar marks before filing. A different class number does not automatically eliminate conflict: Section 13 of the Thai Trademark Act addresses goods in different classes that the Registrar finds to be of the same character, and the Act applies relevant trademark provisions to service marks. The search should account for the actual goods or services and the marks, not just a matching class number.

5. Review costs and expansion plans together

Compare a focused list with the cost of broader coverage. Discuss foreseeable new products before submission: according to the DIP, an applicant cannot later add new goods to an existing application or registration merely because they fall in the same class; a new application is required. This makes the pre-filing product map especially useful.

Examples: one brand can raise several class questions

The broad class associations below have been checked against the 2026 Nice Classification. They are illustrations for planning, not proposed Thai filing descriptions or a determination that any particular wording will be accepted by the DIP. The exact products, services and Thai terms still need to be identified for each business.

 

Business model	Classes to investigate	Question to resolve
Cosmetics brand with its own online store	Class 3 for relevant non-medicated cosmetics; assess Class 35 separately if the mark identifies a qualifying retail service	Which products bear the mark, and what service, if any, does the store itself offer under the mark?
Packaged coffee brand with a café	Class 30 for relevant coffee products; Class 43 for café services	Is the mark used on packaged goods, for the café, or both?
Clothing brand with a retail operation	Class 25 for relevant clothing; assess Class 35 separately for a qualifying retail service	Is the mark used for branded clothing, for a retail service, or both?
Software business	Class 9 for relevant downloadable software; Class 42 for relevant hosted software or SaaS	Does the customer download software, access a hosted service, or both?

 

Class 35 deserves particular care. The 2026 Nice explanatory note says that the sale of goods is not itself classified as a service; it separately describes services that bring together a variety of goods for customers to view and buy, including through websites. An online shop does not, merely by selling its own branded products, make Class 35 a substitute for the product classes. Whether a particular business also has a registrable retail service, and how to describe it in Thailand, requires a separate assessment. Likewise, selecting a product class does not automatically cover a separate service offered under the same brand.

How do the number of items and classes affect Thai government fees?

The DIP’s published domestic fee schedule distinguishes between one to five listed goods or services in a class and more than five in that class. There are two main payment stages:

 

Items in one class	Official application fee	Official registration fee, if accepted
1–5	THB 1,000 per item	THB 600 per item
More than 5	THB 9,000 for that class	THB 5,400 for that class

 

For illustration, three items in one class would give an official application fee of THB 3,000 and, if registered, an additional registration fee of THB 1,800. Six items in one class would fall under the THB 9,000 application fee and THB 5,400 registration fee for that class. Multiple classes are assessed separately. These are the DIP’s published domestic government fees for these two stages; they exclude professional fees and any other applicable expenses. Confirm the schedule in force and the final item count when filing.

The fee threshold should guide sensible drafting, but it should not cause a business to omit a commercially important product merely to keep the list short.

Common classification mistakes

• Copying a foreign registration unchanged: Thailand may require a more precise description, even when an overseas office accepted broader wording.
• Treating a class heading as complete coverage: The goods or services themselves need to be identified.
• Assuming Class 35 covers every product sold online: Product protection and retail service protection answer different questions.
• Relying only on identical class numbers in a clearance search: Similar goods may raise issues across different classes.
• Adding speculative classes without a business reason: This can increase filing and maintenance costs while making the portfolio harder to manage.
• Leaving foreseeable products out of the application: New items cannot simply be appended later to the original Thai filing.

For an international portfolio, review the Thai specification alongside the home filing and any Madrid Protocol designations. WIPO’s 2026 Nice update changed the classification of some items, and Thailand examines designated marks under its own requirements. Our Guide to Trademark Registration under the Madrid Protocol explains the broader international filing route.

Pre-filing checklist for brand owners

Before instructing a filing, prepare:

1. The exact word mark or logo to be filed, and the name of the proposed owner.
2. A list of products currently sold under the mark, with examples of labels or listings.
3. A separate list of services provided under the mark.
4. Specific products or services expected to launch in Thailand in the foreseeable future.
5. Existing Thai and overseas applications or registrations for the same mark.
6. Any known similar marks or objections in relevant markets.

These materials allow a more useful assessment of class selection, wording, clearance risk and budget. The final specification should be checked against the facts, the classification applicable on the filing date, the DIP search results and current examination practice before submission.

Plan your Thai trademark filing with the right scope

A well-planned specification connects the mark to the products and services that matter to the business, while accounting for Thai examination practice and filing costs. Sky International Legal can review your product and service map, consider relevant classes and wording, assess earlier marks, and advise on the filing approach. Learn more about our Trademark Registration Services in Thailand or contact our team to discuss your planned application.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many trademark classes should I file in Thailand?

There is no standard number. Choose the classes needed for the goods and services you genuinely intend to protect, then assess the description and cost within each class. A business with both branded products and a separate service may need more than one class.

Does registering a mark in one class protect everything in that class?

No, the application identifies particular goods or services. A class number is a classification tool, not a claim to every item in the class. The scope of rights and any conflict with another mark require assessment of the registered wording and the relevant facts.

Do I need Class 35 if I sell my own products online?

Not automatically. Start with the classes for the products bearing your mark. Consider Class 35 separately if the mark also identifies a retail or other qualifying service. The appropriate description should be checked against the business model and Thai practice.

Can I add a new product to my Thai trademark after filing?

The DIP says new goods cannot be added to an existing filed application or registration, even if the goods belong to the same class. A separate application is needed for the additional item. This is one reason to review realistic expansion plans before the first filing.

If another business is in a different class, is my mark automatically clear?

No, Thai law can treat goods in different classes as sufficiently related to raise a conflict. A clearance review considers the marks, the goods or services and the circumstances, rather than class numbers alone.

Are Thai trademark fees charged only once?

No, the published domestic schedule has an application fee and a separate registration fee payable if the application is accepted. Amounts depend on the number of listed items in each class. Professional fees and other expenses are separate.